What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[denimglen]

Nah, don't worry about the numbers mate, consistency is far more important than how much sugar you're pulling from the grain.

But if you really do want to bump it up I would -

-Check Ca levels and HCO3 levels in your water and adjust accordingly (Palmer's spreadsheet's a good start)
-Check the crush on your grain, if you're crushing, go finer
-Check the settings for your grain in BeerSmith are correct
-Check the settings for your equipment in BS are correct

Other than that, I'll have to let one of the BIAB boys chime in.

[JoKing]

Yeah... or brew conventionally - you're half way there!

[JoKing]

Could be the crush though - I used to have much lower efficiencies when I was getting brewers coop to crush mine.

[denimglen]

Yeah, same here, with no water adjustment and BC crush I was in the 65% range.

[studio1]

interesting, I want to see a full set-up in operation some time. Your crush is a bit finer then?

In Beersmith, does batch size include your Trub or do you adjust that through 'my equipment' so that batch size is the final volume?

[denimglen]

I'd say so, my mill (BarleyCrusher) gap is set to 0.038" Sorry can't remember the metric equivalent.

In BeerSmith 'Batch Size' is what I'm putting into the fermenter. In the equipment settings I've set 'Losses to Kettle Trub' to what I'm loosing to the kettle. From 20L I manage to fill a keg if it's primary only, I'll bump it up the 'Batch Size' 1000 - 2000mL if I'm going to secondary to allow for a little extra fermenter loss.

[Bambule]

Just bottling my first stab at a Mild. Looks promising.
Was a bit of:
Golden promise
Crystal
Pale Chocolate
OG 1.036
IBU 20 with Goldings

Next up is my maiden American IPA. I have 100g of Sauvin and 200g of cascade to play with but the recipe is still in its inception. I may play it safe and lean heavily on Jokings West Coast IPA recipe which was outstanding.

[JoKing]

Good One! I'd steer away from that Rakau though - your pick of cascade would be much better for the style. And thanks for the nice compliment!

[Pint_of_Bitter]

Great looking recipe there studio1. Have been looking for a good Ordinary recipe to kick off my first BIAB. Might give this one a go...

[Tony]

Brewing an APA tomorrow:

4.5 kg Pale malt
200g crystal
150 g Munich
150 g carapils

30g Southern Cross 60 min
60 g American cascade 10 min
60g American cascade @ flame out

Using a Tim Taylor yeast, I've been keeping

[JoKing]

Interesting idea - using UK yeast winth US hops. I'll be quite interested to know how this one turns out. Keep it up!

[Tony]

Yeah, I was rather intrigued myself. The characteristics, of this yeast are compatible, but I hope it might add that nutty character as well. Southern cross has that pine, citrus tones as well. Either way it is a quality liquid yeast, which I stand by.

Wyeast 1469 - West Yorkshire Ale - Manufactured 1st December 2008.
This strain produces ales with a full chewy malt flavour & character, but finishes dry, producing famously balanced beers.
Expect moderate nutty & stone-fruit esters. Best used for the production of cask-conditioned bitters, ESB & mild ales. Reliably flocculent, producing bright beer without filtration.

Attenuation 67 - 71%
Alc. Tolerance 9%
Flocculation high
Temperature range 18 - 22c